musings by the river
by worldoffire
Summary: The Naka River has seen quite a lot over the years—these are the many things that have taken place there.
1. coups and fatherhood

Hello, oh Earthlings. This will be a drabble-esque series mainly about the Uchiha clan, though I do plan to throw in some other characters from time to time. Some of these will be canon, some will not; I'll try to stick to canon, though. Expect much of me skipping around the timeline. Enjoy. c:

Disclaimer: Mhm. The Akatsuki are gone, I definitely don't own Naruto.

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Shisui sits by the edge of the Naka River, bare legs dangling into it. It's cold, unusually so for this time of year. Autumn has only just begun, and the water should be much warmer than this. He wonders bitterly if it is some sort of metaphor for his clan; they should be warmer than this, but instead, they are like ice. He thinks it fits perfectly, especially with what they're planning.

There's a coup in the works, set to happen in three weeks' time. According to Fugaku, his uncle and the clan head, they are all tired of being oppressed by the village. He's unsure what that means, as he'd stopped listening about then, frozen by the very idea. He knows he has to find a way to stop it in the space of three weeks; otherwise, the Uchiha will take the village, by force—and he knows, better than most, that they will be unstoppable. If this starts, it will end with the Uchiha holding Konohagakure.

He also knows another thing—he will not be among them. He refuses to be a part of this; either he'll find a way to stop this, or die trying.

The Hokage needs to be informed, that much is clear. He can't report this directly; they're keeping too close of an eye on him at the moment. Everybody else, though, is already involved with the planning, as they'd told him last, and it can't come from somebody outside the clan; then it would just sound like a random accusation. There's nobody left, not that he can think of.

He leans back against a tree—how, then, is he supposed to get word to the Hokage? It's nearing the second week of the month, which is when the police force turns their reports in; perhaps he could sneak a note into the stack. It's Itachi's turn to take it to the Hokage, though, and every time he meticulously goes through the pile, checking that everything is there; he would surely find it, and that could very well lead to trouble.

He sits up abruptly, causing a few leaves to fall—_that's it!_ Itachi hadn't been at the meeting about the coup, and he knows his cousin had been in the village at the time. The only reason for him to be excluded is if they didn't want him to know about it. Itachi is the only person he can think of, besides himself, who wouldn't want this. It's the only thing he can think of, and he hopes fervently this plan will work.

Itachi should be able to get word to the Hokage somehow, and then—well, he doesn't know what will happen then. Anything, though, will be better than this.

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Kagami sprawls across the land next to the Naka River; he's jittery today, hyper-aware and focused. He's just gotten the best news of his life, even ranking higher than when he'd found out he would be training under the Second Hokage.

_He's going to be a father. _His wife is pregnant, four months; she'd found out she was expecting just as he'd left on a long-term mission. She'd rushed to tell him as soon as he'd gotten back into the village, and he'd practically been skipping about ever since. They're going to have a child—he's excited and nervous at the same time, and at the moment, neither is winning out. It's an odd mixture.

He wonders if they'll have a boy or a girl; if they'll look like him, or her, or have a mix of both of their features; he wonders if they'll inherit the Sharingan; or, maybe, if it'll turn out to be a set of twins? They aren't amazingly rare in the clan; and if it isn't twins, there's always another child expected within the next few years. Siblings always happen, for whatever reason, in the Uchiha clan. Madara and Izuna, himself and Mikoto, and many more; sibling pairs can be traced back to the beginning of the clan, to the Sage and the two brothers.

He just hopes that he won't be a terrible father. He has no experience with small children at all, unless you count the handful of times he'd looked after Mikoto when their parents were off on missions, and he personally doesn't. He knows how to deal with Academy age students from when he'd helped there a few years back; but what about the years before that? When they're just able to walk and talk and you have to make sure to put all of your weapons away, unless for some sick reason you want your child to impale themselves.

A bird flutters down next to him then, carrying a scroll; he's being summoned to the Hokage Tower for a mission briefing. No time to worry about being a horrid father now; he supposes that in five months, he'll find out.

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Itachi sits in a tree, looking down into the swirling vortex of the river that encircles half of their compound. He's just been assigned a mission by the Hokage, contradicting the one given to him by his father. The Hokage has asked him to spy on the clan; his father ordered he report on the village, find out if anyone suspects them of anything. He's not sure why they would—perhaps he'll ask Shisui later, he might know something—but he knows one thing: now is when he decides his loyalties.

Between the clan and the village; his family or his home. He's a member of the ANBU, sworn to protect the village at any cost, but blood is an oath in some ways, too. He knows this could very well be pivotal for the future of the village—his clan is destructive and power-hungry at times, and for all he knows they are planning to destroy it. This could decide what kind of place Sasuke grows up in.

Eventually, that is what sways him. If there is even the slimmest chance that the Uchiha are planning something, he can't risk it. He won't risk his brother growing up in the midst of something like that. That is why he chooses to spy on the clan.

He rises, places the porcelain mask decorated with a weasel's face over his own, and heads to give the Hokage his answer.


	2. dreams and seals

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto, no matter how many stars I wish on.

Enjoy. c:

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Madara sits by the river near the Uchiha encampment, kunai hidden under his leg and body alert. This is a world of war; one must always be ready.

He picks up a stone and, following a few quick calculations, throws it; it bounces once before dropping into the water and sinking. _Well__,_ he figures, _I had to be bad at something. _He's stellar with his kenjutsu, ninjutsu, and genjutsu; rock skipping, however, is not a strength of his, though he rather wishes it was. It still makes for a good distraction, though, and that is what he wants.

One of his two remaining brothers died today, killed by a Senju in battle. It's just him and Izuna left, now, and he's determined to keep his last brother safe, since he couldn't save the rest. He will save Izuna, keep him alive, even if it costs him his own. He's dreamed about being some sort of hero before—perhaps that is how he will become one.

He'd prefer something where he stayed alive, though. He's always dreamt of a village where shinobi could live in peace, doing missions issued by a leader to bring in money. It's insanity, though; this is how the world has worked for decades, and it won't change with the dreams of one boy. _But, _his mind reminds him, _isn't that how all changes came about?__  
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He ignores himself, and throws another rock.

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Hashirama walks carefully over the water, chakra flaring beneath his feet as he teeters on the unsteady surface. He's still a novice at this, having only done it a few times, but practice makes perfect, after all. He might be shaky now, but if he keeps at it, soon enough he'll be plenty good.

He should be training with Tobirama now, but he's off somewhere doing other things, and so he's simply practicing water walking. He should probably be working on his taijutsu, or perhaps genjutsu, but this is much more fun.

He's been balancing unsteadily for nearly ten minutes when he finally falls; he pulls himself out of the water and on the shore, laughing throughout. He's soaked to the bone, but at least it's the summer; the water was warm and he honestly considers getting back in—the late afternoon wind is chilling him, stealing away his body heat.

He flops back, spread out across the ground with his short hair falling over his eyes. He blows at it to remove it; it just falls right back and eventually he just lets it be.

The sun is setting and he'll need to be home soon, but for now he's content to lay here and watch. It's nice, being able to relax; in his world, in the Senju clan, there's barely any allowed. It's all work, training and missions and guard duty, making sure nobody attempts a massacre of their clan in the midst of night. This is not the kind of world a child like his brother should live in, and yet it is.

Someday, Hashirama is going to change that.

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Mito lets her bright red hair fall down her back, loose for the first time that day. It's been one formal event after another ever since they got here early this morning, and it's nice for her to be able to relax. The river rushes by before her, reminding her of her homeland's many whirlpools, which it's named for. It's not home, not by a long shot, but it's something.

She takes up a stick and starts swirling seals in the dirt. She's been studying them her whole life and can draw many from just memory. There's a storage seal, for items, and another for chakra; a damaging one her father had invented himself, and a transportation one.

Mito's quite fond of the art of fuuinjutsu; it reminds her of home, wherever she goes. She also enjoys how seals can be used for so many purposes; it's fascinating, truly. They can hold objects of any size and high amounts of chakra, move people from one place to another with just a burst of chakra—and all because of the little swirls and symbols that make the complicated language of seals.

She does wonder if there's a limit to how many items or the amount of chakra a seal can hold. Nobody's really sure, and no one really wants to test that sort of thing; it could easily result in disaster. For instance, if one was to try and seal away one of the nine tailed beasts that roam the land—she knows, instinctively, that it would take a lot more than just inky swirls to hold power of that size.

But, what if it was sealed into a _person_? It would be dangerous, amazingly so; but if it would work, it could save so many lives by preventing the tailed beasts from going on rampages. Her hand wanders to her forehead; there's a lot of chakra sealed there, even for an Uzumaki. Perhaps, with some adjustments and tests, she could make this work.


	3. first meetings and kyuubi seals

This is turning into a fun project. Longer pieces this time. Much Mito here, and there most likely will be a lot in the future, as she's proving to be very fun to write. Please pretend that Madara never used the Kyuubi in his fight against Hashirama; otherwise the last one, and possibly the second, won't make sense. Also, I take back what I said in the first chapter, about this focusing on the Uchiha; it's just going to be who I feel like writing now. Enjoy. c:

Disclaimer: I don't own it, sadly.

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Hashirama finds his soon-to-be wife sitting at the edge of the Naka River. Madara trails behind him, and Tobirama is at the back of their small procession. Madara had wanted to meet the fiancée of his long-time friend, and Tobirama, who surprisingly hasn't met her yet but is eager to, met them on their search and joined them.

Her red hair is falling down her back, occasionally lifted by the wind, and her pale arms have black seals twining around them. She's in a simple dress, white with gold swirls, perfect for the summer. She's beautiful.

Madara steps forward, ever the bold one. "So, you're the one I've heard all about from Hashirama here. Good to finally meet you."

She turns, green eyes dancing with amusement. "And you would be?"

"Uchiha Madara, ma'am." He's surprisingly courteous; Hashirama hasn't heard him say "ma'am" in a long time.

"Mhm." She turns to Tobirama now. "And you?"

"Senju Tobirama. I'm your fiancée's younger brother."

"So, my future husband, my future brother-in-law, and my future husband's best friend. Do tell, what brought this little parade here?" There's a smudge of ink on her nose, Hashirama notes; she must have worked on a seal recently.

Hashirama gestures to the other two. "Madara was wanting to meet you, and we met Tobirama in the midst of our search, so he joined along. It's all their fault." Madara looks offended at this.

"It is not. How am I at fault for wanting to meet my best friend's future wife?"

"I'm not sure, really. Give me a while and I could probably come up with some demented reason." Hashirama smirks; it's always fun infuriating Madara.

Tobirama leans against a tree and grins; this has become daily entertainment for him, and he's sure it will be the same for Mito. She's grinning as well—this is amusing.

Finally, their argument escalates to the point where Madara tries to attack Hashirama. He dodges, ever graceful, and Madara manages to land flat on his back in the grass. That's when Mito lets loose the laughter she's been holding in; there's nothing better than seeing the two founders of Konoha fighting like children, she decides.

Hashirama, who'd attacked Madara in retaliation—at the moment, he's pinned down by said Uchiha—and Madara both look up, pausing their fight.

"No, no, don't let me interrupt you. Carry on."

They both shrug and return to the fight, Hashirama struggling to throw Madara off. Tobirama goes to sit by Mito near the river; he has a feeling they'll be here a while, and it's always fun to have somebody to laugh with.

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Mito is sitting by the Naka River yet again, hunched over a scroll, with a pot of ink and a calligraphy brush by her side. She's focused intently upon it; she doesn't even sense Madara approaching until he's sitting beside her, examining the scroll and the seal in progress on it.

"Hello, Madara," she murmurs, not looking up. He, Hashirama, Tobirama, and Mito have all grown close since their first meeting; they don't bother with honorifics or surnames any more.

"Mito," he replies. "What would you happen to be so focused on?"

She looks up now, green eyes intent. "Can you keep a secret?"

"As good as most, I suppose."

She seems satisfied with this answer, though she drops her voice to a whisper as she replies. "In that case, it's a seal I'm working on. I'm attempting to design one that will hold a tailed beast, in hopes of caging them and stopping the rampages they're so fond of."

He's surprised, though not as much as he'd be if this were anyone else. If anyone would be the one to cage a tailed beast inside a human body without killing themselves and the host, it would be Uzumaki Mito. "I see; fascinating. How long have you been working on this?"

"I first came up with the idea the day I came to Konoha, so a few months, now." She raises her hand to the diamond-shaped seal on her forehead. "It's a stronger version of this, basically. It holds maybe a half or so of the amount of chakra a tailed beast has, as I've poured excess chakra into it for years. I just have to increase the amount it can hold and make sure it cannot escape; then I'll be done. It's not really that simple, though, since that takes several tests to make sure."

"Wow," he says; that's amazingly impressive. "Who, though, do you plan to seal a tailed beast into?"

Her face grows stony. "Are you sure, absolutely so, that you can keep this a secret until I tell the others?" After he nods, her face softens again and she sighs. "Myself. I plan to seal one into myself."

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The four of them are insane, Tobirama decides. He counts himself in there for agreeing to this: it's reckless and dangerous and could very well end with all of them dead. They're going to trap the Nine-Tailed Beast, which is heading towards Konoha at this very moment. Mito has made a seal that she is sure will work to seal it into herself, and the three of them are there to make sure that it doesn't attack Konoha and give general backup.

It's not long, now; they can hear its roars in the distance as they wait by the river, where this plan originally hatched; first in Mito's head, then shared with Madara, and finally revealed to Hashirama and Tobirama, ending with them here, awaiting the beast.

"Any last words?" Hashirama attempts to lighten the mood, and fails miserably; they are all too somber, waiting for what could very well be their deaths.

Mito speaks, though. "I have some. If this fails and we all die... thank you for backing me on this. It means a lot."

They all nod, and it's he that speaks next. "I've got some things to say. Mito, thank you for teaching me the basics of sealing. Madara, Hashirama..." He trails off, and the pair lean forward, curious of what he has to say. "Thank you both for all the times you tried to kill each other. It was funnier than anything else I've ever seen."

Madara and Hashirama both look appropriately scandalized; he and Mito, however, both burst out laughing. Soon enough his brother and the Uchiha join them, and the mood is considerably lighter as the Kyuubi appears in the distance.


End file.
